Liu Yuan or Lingering Garden, Suzhou, China

Photos by: Debbie Stock

Lingering Garden is one of the four most famous gardens in China. These ancient gardens are somewhat different than what I'm accustoming to seeing in the United States. They are amazing in that indoor living spaces tie into the outdoors through crafted doors and windows, sometimes utilizing glass and often employing moon gates (circular opening in a wall that acts as a pedestrian passageway as a traditional architectural element in Chinese gardens.)

Plants and trees are restrained, while domineering rockery (gigantic rock formations that look like sculptures,) create entire outdoor spaces you can walk on or stand next to and examine.

First built in 1593 during the Ming Dynasty the garden and buildings have served artisans and architects with useful concepts integrating indoor spaces with outdoor places.

Next photo: Chinese Jade